


Rest Stop

by anonymousexposure



Category: Half-Life
Genre: F/M, Post-Half-Life 2: Episode Two, Spoilers, Wholesome, half life - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-25 14:28:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30090510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anonymousexposure/pseuds/anonymousexposure
Summary: A storm grounds Alyx and Gordon after Eli's funeral, delaying their adventure to the Borealis. Will they rest and relax with this extra time? Not if Alyx can help it. But Gordon is not so easily pulled away from a much needed break.
Relationships: Gordon Freeman & Alyx Vance, Gordon Freeman/Alyx Vance
Kudos: 13





	Rest Stop

A gentle breeze rolled across the river, picking up a coolness and carrying it across security fences, past shattered glass and torn concrete, and sending it over the shoulders of a small crowd standing on the river’s downstream shore. 

As it passed over Gordon Freeman, a chill ran up his spine. He closed his eyes, welcoming the sensation. 

He couldn’t remember the last time he felt something so cooling, so soothing, so fresh against his skin. He felt like he had been stuffed inside a musty casket for twenty years, and he savored the crisp air.

He inhaled a deep breath, feeling the cotton fabric of his t-shirt move with him, instead of meeting resistance against the hard, rigid shell of his HEV suit. A Citizen lent Gordon a blue jacket to wear over his T-shirt, which he wore unbuttoned with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. A t-shirt alone would be too informal, Gordon felt, for the occasion, despite their circumstances. 

A pang of guilt stabbed at Gordon. He opened his eyes, his lungs tightening as he looked ahead, past the shoulders of those standing like still pillars in the small crowd, and focusing on Alyx. She stood next to Dr. Kleiner, who also stood behind a mound of dirt near the riverbank. The mound was marked with a small wooden cross. 

Dr. Kleiner solemnly struggled to find words, struggled through tears and a choking throat. 

But Alyx stood in front of the crowd, silent in her pain. She kept her hands clasped behind her back, and while her face contorted with grief, her eyes remained dry, shielding others from viewing her inner workings.

Gordon stared at her. She still wore the same outfit he met her in. The gray hoodie, tan jacket. Stained blue jeans. She refused to change before the event, and instead insisted upon setting up the meager ceremony which did not come close to properly honoring its subject. 

But they did the best with what they had. 

Sadness welled within Gordon. He and Eli did not have enough time together. There was so much Gordon had yet to learn. So much Eli could have taught him, shared with him. They could have grown together, Eli, Gordon, and Alyx, into some semblance of a familial unit. And just as Gordon’s future began to focus, just as the end became a pin-prick of light at the end of a pitch-black tunnel-

They tore him from the world. 

The sadness made Gordon’s chest tighten. The anger made Gordon’s cheeks flush. 

Why?

He looked to Alyx again, a shell of herself. Gordon knew some part of the adventure was over for her. One of her dogs in the fight was gone. The part that kept her going despite the hardships. Her primary motivation, torn from the world before her own eyes. 

Why Eli? Why her father? Why Gordon?

A cool breeze floated up from the river once more, cooling Gordon’s flushing skin, and bringing with it a scent of spring flowers and crisp water. 

The guilt pulled at Gordon again. He knew he should not be enjoying these moments. He should be grieving. 

And yet he relished the fresh air. He relished the soft fabric against his skin. He relished the moments of silence that accompanied a somber sadness. 

The sadness of a joy with an expiration date. 

\---

A crack of thunder shook the office. 

Dr. Kleiner looked out the large window of the observation room where they launched the rocket only hours earlier. He seemed to focus on nothing in particular, but his expression was that of concern, and darkened like the clouds covering the sky. 

Dr. Magnusson anxiously paced about the room, deep in thought. 

“We need to seriously consider the possibility that taking the helicopter in this weather could put both you and Alyx in grave danger.” Kleiner turned to where Gordon stood in the middle of the control room. Before him was the shiny red button he pressed earlier. A smile tugged at his lips when he thought of pressing it again, just because he could. 

Kleiner’s eyes darted to Alyx, then shot back to Gordon. 

Alyx slumped in a chair, staring at the floor. She clenched her headband in one hand, causing her hair to fall across her face in messy clumps. 

“When the portal storms were bad, after the first invasion, they would almost always accompany thunderstorms. The bastards. Made traveling a real, unpredictable bitch.” Dr. Magnusson grumbled. 

“That, and the fact the dark is incredibly dangerous on its own,” Kleiner began, “like I said-”

“You’re locking us in.” Alyx murmured from her seat. 

“That’s not what he said…” began Dr. Magnusson. 

“Yes,” Kleiner stated. He looked to Alyx, a warmth overtaking his eyes. “It is dangerous out there, deadly.” Kleiner paused. “We have already lost so much-”

“No.” Alyx said. She jumped up from her chair, sending Dr. Kleiner back a step. “I lost my father. If we don’t leave tonight, and the Combine find the Borealis before we do… what will losing my father be for?” 

“If you don’t leave tonight, you’ll be alive.” Dr. Magnusson stopped pacing and looked sternly at Alyx. “The risk of a portal storm to the weakened Combine should be enough to stop them for tonight, too. They may be desperate, but, like us, they are not stupid. If they learned anything, it’s that we- or, you two, are as capable as an army. And they can’t stand to lose more soldiers. We closed the reinforcement portal, remember?”

“I won’t take any chances. Gordon, get your suit, and let’s go.” Alyx made for the door, but something jerked her backwards. 

Her head shot down to see Gordon’s hand gripping her elbow. 

“What?” Alyx asked, meeting Gordon’s eyes. They were soft, understanding, and concerned. Their concern for what, however, Alyx was unsure, and it gave her a moment of pause. She turned to face Gordon, and he held his touch on her arm.

She hadn’t seen him like this since the Hunter attack. He was serious, gravely so.

“Alyx,” Kleiner walked over to her, “your father would have never sent you out in weather like this. He would never have asked you, no matter the consequences. He cared about you deeply. And so do we.” 

Kleiner awkwardly, but tenderly, pulled Alyx into a hug. She stood there a moment, her body processing the sensation, her brain attempting to catch up…

Then she collapsed into Kleiner, a painful groan ripping from her body. Gordon let go of Alyx’s elbow, and she wrapped her arms around Kleiner, dropping her headband from her grip and onto the floor. 

Gordon picked up the headband and stuffed it into his jean pocket, feeling the softness of the worn denim against his fingers. The jeans themselves were extremely old and a size too big, but Gordon didn’t care. He relished in the feeling of loose fabric for what would hopefully not be the last time. 

Gordon looked to Alyx and Kleiner, who continued to embrace. 

Kleiner gently patted Alyx on the back. Her sobs were beginning to subside into soft murmurs and sniffles. She opened a watery eye and looked directly at Gordon.   
Gordon moved instinctually, giving almost no thought to his gesture as he reached out and gently stroked Alyx’s hair. 

Kleiner opened an eye, and, seeing this gesture, peeled away from Alyx. 

“Well, Alyx. Do see that Gordon gets you to sleep safely tonight. You will leave first thing tomorrow morning, I promise. Don’t worry that big brain of yours.”

“We will save the world. After a good night’s sleep.” At Dr. Magnusson’s words, a wave of exhaustion like he had never experienced before hit Gordon. He stumbled forward towards Alyx, who put a hand on his shoulder. She wiped away tears and smiled. 

Gordon quickly stood back up and shook his head, but his vision swam despite correcting his posture. He pulled his glasses off the bridge of his nose and rubbed his eyes. 

“I think Gordon needs it more than I do. Come on.” Alyx threaded her arm around Gordon’s, and they exited the room. 

\---

Gordon’s feet dragged against the floor like stone slabs. His legs bent loosely like rubber. 

It was as if his body salivated at the idea of laying down, of having a rest. Something he hadn’t had since… he couldn’t remember. But he needed it. His body craved it. 

And he knew he wouldn’t be able to make it to his own bed. 

Alyx opened her door, revealing a small room with a full-size bed already made-up with clean sheets. 

“This is me-” Alyx started, and her eyes followed Gordon as he walked right past her and collapsed onto the bed. Alyx’s mouth dropped open. 

“Gordon? Gordon!” 

Gordon’s visions faded away. 

An immense peace overtook him. 

Until all he knew, felt, and heard, was nothing. 

\---  
Gordon’s eye cracked open. 

A gentle, far away sound rumbed.

Gordon took in a deep breath, and smiled to himself when his chest met no resistance. The sheets tucked against him like a perfect, soft, warm cocoon, and Gordon nuzzled back into them. 

The sound continued to rumble, only now another, shriller sound layered overtop of it. An aggressive sound. Something that hurt his ears, chilled his blood, and ruined his mood. 

Alyx. Yelling. 

Gordon jolted out of bed and flung open the door, springing in the direction of the sound. 

He gave no regard to the pants sagging beneath his hips with every step, and how his jacket seemed to have come off as he slept, leaving only an old and T-Shirt that, despite its stretched out collar, hugged Gordon’s form. 

Gordon burst into the control room, stopping in his tracks at the sight of Alyx yelling at Kleiner, one arm by her side, one hand pointing at Kleiner with an aggressive index finger. 

“You said this morning. You said first thing.” 

Kleiner gestured towards the window, which shielded the control room from clouds that appeared even darker than the ones that hung over the sky last night. A rumble of thunder vibrated the building, and Gordon gulped. 

Magnusson stalked into the control room from behind Gordon, a steaming cup of tea in hand. 

“Is this what you are yelling about? Something we can’t control?” Magnusson snapped, and rubbed his index finger against his temple. “God, you save the world and can’t get a decent night’s sleep afterward.” 

Alyx glared at Magnusson. “You and Kleiner told me it would be safe to stay here last night, because we could leave tomorrow. Which is today. But now you’re telling me, even though it is fully light outside, we can’t leave? The hell not!” 

Kleiner paced. “The conditions today are exactly the same as yesterday. Only now it is the day, and not only are you traveling through a thunder and portal storm, but you just became easier to spot and track.” 

Alyx groaned. “We’ll take a different route, we’ll be careful. We can’t wait any longer, if the Combine get there before us-”

“The Combine aren’t moving, Alyx.” Magnusson grabbed the tag of his teabag and swirled it around his mug.“They can’t take the same chances we can’t. They are too weak.” 

“Then any extra ground we gain is an advantage!” Alyx contested, but Gordon could see her faltering. 

Kleiner gave Magnusson a look, then turned back to Alyx. 

“Alyx. I… I’m afraid it is not possible.” 

A clatter rung out in the control room. Gordon looked down, startled, as the headband he picked from the floor yesterday now rested on the floor. 

The room looked to Gordon. Alyx’s eyes widened. 

She couldn’t help but eye Gordon up and down. His T-shirt clung to his chest and felt loosely over his belly. The sleeves bulged at his biceps. His jeans hung loosely from his hips, and allowed Alyx to get the best picture of his frame she had gotten yet. 

Gordon pushed up his glasses and cleared his throat. Alyx couldn’t help but smile. 

“Gordon I see you’ve been… enjoying your moments of relaxation.” 

Gordon nodded, and picked up the headband. He held it out to Alyx. Kleiner looked back to Alyx and sighed. 

“Alyx. The best thing you can do right now is recharge. Look at Gordon. He looks refreshed. Don’t you think he could take a strider down with his bare hands?” Magnussion shook his head at Kleiner’s humor, but a smile did pull at his lips. 

Alyx looked around the room for support, but her will faded rapidly, and she frowned. 

“Fine. But as soon as the weather clears, we are moving out. Understand?” Alyx raised her index finger to Kleiner once more. 

Keiner smiled. “Of course.” Alyx nodded. 

She turned to Gordon and her frown slowly turned to a weak smile, and a blush crept into her cheeks. She and Gordon exited from the control room into the hallway. 

“You look… refreshed.” Alyx leaned her head against Gordon and breathed in a sigh… but her nose wrinkled. She looked up, her nose wrinkling at a newly discovered sense. 

“Gordon… when was the last time you showered?” 

\---  
Hot water cascaded down Gordon’s front. Suds ran off him, swirling around the yellowing tiles that lined the capsule-like shower he stood in. 

Gordon watched as the suds, now blurry in his glasses-absent vision, disappeared down the drain. 

He scrubbed at his scalp, working away the build-up of sweat, dirt, and other things he would rather not consider. 

He breathed in the steam deeply, feeling the hot air fill him and clear out passageways from his nose to his lungs.

Finally, he could breathe. He could think. And his thoughts drifted to Alyx, the way she led him back to his room, placed a tiny bar of soap into his hand, and told Gordon she would bring him a change of clothes while he showered. 

The way her eyes looked at him for longer than they had before. Resting- no, relaxing. Something he had never seen her do. One thing that Alyx wasn’t was relaxed. Gordon figured that experiencing the majority of life in a post-resonance cascade world would do that to a person. He wondered what Alyx had experienced, and his thoughts wandered to memories of showers running until the water went cold, full fridges, and other comforts that seemed as if they were experienced by a different person in a different life. He hoped he would be able to do those things again. Possibly with Alyx. Definitely under different circumstances. 

But these were the only circumstances they had. And right now they didn’t seem too bad. 

Gordon shut the water off and took one final, deep, breath of steamy air. He stepped out of the shower stall and grabbed for a blurry blob on the wall that closely resembled the towel he hung up earlier. He toweled himself off and tied the fabric around his waist before rounding a corner into a cramped and yellowing locker room. 

Gordon made out the vague shape of a pile sitting on a wooden bench and grinned to himself. Even though Alyx said she would, the fact that she did bring him a change of clothes made his chest expand with warmth that didn’t come from the shower steam. 

When Alyx and Gordon fought alongside one another in life or death situations, Gordon expected Alyx to have his back. When she said she would disarm a security system, Gordon expected- no, relied on her to do it. He had a feeling Alyx trusted Gordon to fight off Combine and clear bridges in this same way. It wasn’t a hope. It was an expectation. And there was no time or option to doubt, dwell on, or double check it.

And as he stood in the locker room, looking at the pile of clothes Alyx said she would bring him, Gordon felt his heart beat harder with his need for her. He could trust her, in here and out there, he needed her in here and out there, and he wanted her with him everywhere. Warmth spread through him. This sensation wasn’t caused by the knowledge that Alyx did what she did because she had to. She did it because she wanted to. 

Gordon quickly pulled on his change of clothes, a worn pair of jeans and the same standard issue off-white sweater he saw underneath so many head crabs. He blushed as he slid on a pair of tattered but desperately needed underwear, and he rolled a pair of thread-bare socks over his feet and quickly hurried out of the locker room, leaving the towel folded neatly on the bench. 

—-

His feet carried him as far as Alyx’s door frame, but no further. He stopped in his tracks and suddenly felt as though he had been dipped into cold water. 

He gulped. He hadn’t been this nervous in, well… in a long time. He hadn’t had enough time to even think about being nervous. But now, standing in the hallway outside Alyx’s room…

He struggled to think of ways this was any different. 

They didn’t have a lot of time together, Gordon realized. This could all be over in an hour. In minutes. Once the storm cleared there would be nothing stopping Alyx from going out and fighting for what she wanted. 

So in this moment, Gordon thought as he reached for the door handle, quickly so his brain wouldn’t overthink it and tell him no-

He would fight for what he wanted. 

Which was-

An empty room. Gordon blinked. He walked a step into the room, looked around, and saw no sign of Alyx. A bag lay haphazardly on her otherwise neat bed, parts spilling out of it, but Gordon saw no other signs of her…

And he grinned. 

—-

Gordon burst into his own room and beheld Alyx sitting on his bed, her EMP tool in one hand and the gravity gun in the other. She looked up at Gordon and smileed, but upon seeing his serious expression she set her tools down on the bed and stood. 

“Gordon? What’s wrong?” 

Gordon closed the door behind him and walked toward her, not losing any momentum as he shortened the gap between the two of them. Alyx backed away until the back of her knees hit the edge of the bed, and Gordon stopped an inch away from her. 

“Gordon,” Alyx said, her voice quiet, her tone soft and uncertain. Gordon slowly put both arms around her, bringing her into him and squeezing her gently. Alyx melted into the touch. 

She wrapped both of her arms around his waist and held them there. Gordon gently brought his hands up to Alyx’s face and cradled it in them, looking deeply into her eyes, only inches from her face. Gordon squinted. 

He turned to the wooden nightstand in the room, felt around for a moment, and brought his glasses to his eyes. He blinked, and Alyx giggled. 

“Sorry I forgot to bring you your glasses,” Alyx said, her giggles slowly subsiding into a warm smile. She touched his nose to his, and Gordon gently closed the gap between her lips and took her in for a deep, long awaited kiss. 

They stand like that for a moment, not breaking the kiss, their hands reaching up and down to grasp at a waist or travel to the back of a neck. Alyx, not taking her lips from Gordon’s, started to lower herself down onto the bed and pull Gordon down with him, her hand gripping his shirt collar. Gordon hesitated for a moment, and Alyx pulled away to look at him. 

Her face and lips were flushed, and as Gordon looked at her she smiled nervously. The same nervous smile overtook Gordon’s expression. 

No matter how long it had been for either of them, if there had ever been an instance for either of them, it wasn’t even a distant memory. It was long forgotten. Just like the memory of a full fridge or cushioned sofa. It belonged to someone else at some other time. 

And this moment was the present, future, and only thing that mattered. 

Alyx grinned sheepishly and unbuttoned the top button of Gordon’s sweater. His hands found their grip on Alyx’s waist, the pair found their rhythm, and for a time that could not last long enough, the world was only as big as the room they occupied, and the blankets they stirred underneath. 

—-

A movement gently roused Gordon from his sleep. He felt something slide away from him, leaving a cold void where something warm once was. Gordon grunted and pulled whatever was sliding away much closer to him, crushing it against him, and grinning when it whined in protest. 

Gordon cracked an eye open and took in the sight of sunlight just beginning to lighten up the otherwise dark room. It was early. He couldn’t hear the rumble of thunder in the distance. The only sound he could hear was Alyx’s breathing and his own heartbeat. 

He tightened his arms around Alyx, and she gave up her struggle and relaxed into his grasp. She buried her head into Gordon‘ s chest and chest. 

“We should go soon,” she said. Her voice was thick and deep with sleep. 

Gordon grunted. He knew that. 

Alyx rubbed her hands over Gordon’s bare back, feeling the bumps, imperfections, and ridges of the tight muscle under his skin. Feelings and memories from the previous night washed over her, and she smiled into Gordon’s chest. 

Feeling her change in expression, Gordon smiled too, and his skin turned hot. After a few moments Alyx pulled away and her cheery smile saddened. Gordon’s did the same. Alyx traced a finger over Gordon’s face, stopping once she’d traced the ridges of his frown. 

Alyx looked deeply into Gordon’s eyes, and he returned her gaze. Even if they never got to feel each other the way they did last night, even if the two of them did not make it out of whatever they were about to go into alive, they would at least be together until then. 

And that, at least, gave them a fighting chance. 

Gordon leaned down and kissed Alyx for what he hoped would not be the last time. 

Then, slowly and deliberately, the pair crawled out from under their warm enclosure.

They dressed quietly and emerged from the room still blushing. 

They walked up to the entrance of the control room and looked at one another. They looked ready and rested to fight another day. To fight the good fight. 

To fight what they hoped would be their last battle. 

Gordon smiled at Alyx. He opened the door to the control room, and the pair stepped inside. 

Ready.


End file.
